August 30-September 3, 2010 Aalto University, Helsinki, Finland
Deadline for application for the course is June 1, 2010.
This is the eighth Scancor workshop for Nordic and European doctoral students. The audience for this workshop is PhD students with an interest in recent research in institutional theory and organizational studies more generally. Previous workshops have been held at Stanford University, Copenhagen Business School, Helsinki School of Economics and IESE-Barcelona. Next year’s workshop (2011) will take place at the University of Mannheim.
The goal of the workshop is to enable PhD students to pursue their research more effectively, using novel research methods to examine theoretically important questions. In recent decades, institutional theory has expanded outside its base in the United States to many settings around the world. This perspective has been valuable in explaining, among other things, the adoption of organizational structures, the incorporation of social movement ideas and goals inside organizations, and the global spread of management practice. The course provides students with a thorough grounding in the canonical works of institutional theory, an overview of recent lines of research, and an introduction to the diverse methodological tools used by scholars pursuing these ideas.
Institutional theory has been a dominant approach in organization theory for the past three decades, and in recent years has gained influence in economics, management science, political science, and sociology. Nonetheless, this approach is plagued by several key theoretical and methodological challenges. This workshop brings together scholars from diverse disciplines who are developing novel solutions to these challenges, most notably issues of change and agency. The faculty will present current research, review recent papers, and discuss new methodological tools that not only respond to institutional analysis’ current limitations but expand its explanatory scope. We pay special attention to issues of institutional origins, persistence, and transformation. We also emphasize methods of comparative, archival, and network analysis. Finally, we tackle fundamental issues involving globalization, competing institutional logics, contestation, and dynamics.
The workshop is organized around three related features: (1) a research seminar where the faculty present their current research; (2) a session devoted to discussing both classic and contemporary theoretical developments within institutional theory; and (3) a session focusing on the research methods that advance institutional research. Students will take away new insights and tools, and a deeper understanding of how to match conceptual questions with research methods. The workshop will prepare PhD students to carry out their own individual research using the tools of institutional theory.
The faculty for the workshop includes:
Stephen R. Barley, Richard Weiland Professor of Management Science and Engineering, Stanford University
Jeannette A. Colyvas, Assistant Professor of Learning Sciences and Human Development, Northwestern University
Gili Drori, Lecturer in International Relations, Stanford University, and in Sociology, University of California – Berkeley
Jason Owen-Smith, Associate Professor of Organization Studies and Sociology, University of Michigan
Walter W. Powell, Professor of Education (and) Sociology, Organizational Behavior, Management Science and Engineering, and Communication, Stanford University. From 1999-2010, Prof. Powell was director of Scancor at Stanford.
The Participant’s Role:
The PhD student should be working on a research project involving institutional ideas. The goal of the course is to enable students to use the most up-to-date methods to explore their research projects. Students are required to attend all five days of the workshop and are expected to come to the course prepared by having completed the readings and ready with questions on them.
Teaching Methods:
Research seminars, lectures, group discussions, and individual sessions with faculty.
Course Credit:
5 ECTS points.
Language
English
Maximum Number of Students:
20
Eligibility:
The course is open to students from the Nordic countries that are the core members of the Scandinavian Consortium for Organizational Research, and the universities in Europe that are partners with Scancor - - University of Mannheim, Maastricht University, ESSEC, and IESE. PhD students from other countries and universities may apply as well, and will be admitted based on available space, but they will have to register at a higher fee. Students should submit an application describing the reasons for their interest, and include their resume, a recent course paper written in English, and a letter of recommendation from their advisor.
Applications should be submitted to:
Professor Liisa Välikangas at Aalto University School of Economics (liisa.valikangas@hse.fi) and
Annette Eldredge at Scancor (eldredge@stanford.edu)
Fee:
500 Euros for non-Scancor members
200 Euros for Scancor members
Deadline for application for the course is June 1, 2010.
TESTIMONIALS
The workshop on Institutional Analysis 2008 in Barcelona was one of the best experiences of my time as a PhD Candidate. The opportunity to work closely with outstanding faculty and remarkable colleagues in an informal and productive environment, discussing different methodologies and methods to conduct institutional analysis for a full week was very interesting and stimulating. We formed a network of researchers that still follow each other’s progress and meet in conferences, courses, workshops, and research institutions around the world.
Elena Raviola
The Scancor Workshop on Institutional Theory exceeded my expectations. Not only did I learn about the antecedents and current advances in Institutional theory but I also discovered a research question that eventually became my dissertation topic. I am especially grateful to Woody Powell, Elizabeth Clemens, Marc Schneiberg and Jeannette Colyvas for being so approachable and ready to provide high quality feedback on my research interests. I also wish to thank the participants from several countries who contributed to the lively and intellectually stimulating discussions that were held in class.
Uchenna Uzo
The PhD workshop on "Organizations and Institutions" held in Helsinki in September 2006 taught me new theories and approaches and gave me the opportunity to interact with world-leading scholars in institutional theory, network approaches and world polity and society. A very well organized workshop combined with a great social program was a guaranteed success. It also was the spark for me to go to Stanford as a visiting scholar in 2008 and now a postdoctoral fellow in 2010.
Arno Kourula
This workshop is a great combination of a classical reading seminar exposing students to various research traditions and several methodologies and a research workshop shedding light on the making of cutting-edge research by showing various degrees of advancement and the questions and decisions every researcher face during this process. The whole experience is carefully designed to allow assimilation while being very intense. The interaction with world-class scholars and budding researchers like me is really high during the whole week and occurs in a very friendly and supportive ambiance. The impact has been tremendous on my dissertation and the selection of my research topics.
Gregoire Croidieu |
